Naval War had 26 fleet commanders taking part. Game
assignments for the initial round dictated four games, two 6-players
and two 7-players. The four preliminary winners and the two highest
scoring runners-up would get to advance. Preliminary tables were
assigned using random draws of standard playing cards.

SPADES: This 6-player table included two former champions;
Jim Fleckenstein and Bill Place. Jim scored well in the 5-round
contest, but the victory went to the other former champion, Bill
Place. SCORES: Place 94, Fleckenstein 84, James Mason and Thomas
Johnston 68 each, Larry York 66 and Sean Druelinger 52.

DIAMONDS: This 7-player gam went four rounds. After Round
1, veteran Matt Evinger led with 52. An early lead is not really
where one wants to be in this game. Matt, of course, lost 10
points in Round 2. The round also saw consecutive air strikes
by Tony Newton and Dave Dentel, that sank each other's 9 point
battleships (Yamato and Musashi). Other airstrikes, including
four in a row by four different players, were less effective.
Eventually Mike Dwyer emerged victorious. SCORES: Dwyer 83, Brian
Goodwin 76, John Spinello 70, Tony Newton 63, Dave Dentel 62,
Evinger and Jeffery Hacker 57.

HEARTS: The other 7-player table included GM Jim Kramer Jr.,
Assistant GM Jonathan Lockwood and defending champion Ben Collinson
Sr. After five spirited rounds, two players, David Brooks and
Mike Wallschlaeger, stood tied for the lead at 85 points. Collinson
was right behind them with 83. Mike was the benefactor of the
GM's decision, in Round 5, to shoot at Mike's destroyer squadron
instead of playing smoke. When the destroyers survived, Mike
promptly sank enough of Jim's ships to earn the tie. The rules
specify another round should be played. However, the time allotted
for the round was expired. GM Jim Kramer Jr., on the advice of
assistant GM Jonathan Lockwood, decided that both David and Mike
would advance. By their scores, one of them would meet the best
runner-up criteria. My apologies to Ben, as this decision ended
his chance to repeat. SCORES: Brooks and Wallschlaeger 85, Collinson
83, Alan Arnold 62, Stuart Tucker 54, Kramer 51, Lockwood 36.

So the six finalists were: Winners: Bill Place - 94 points,
Mikaela Kumlander - 92 points, Michael Dwyer - 83 points, David
Brooks and Mike Wallschlaeger (tied) - 85 points and best runner-up
Jim Fleckenstein - 84 points. The players selected cards again
to determine seating order in the next round. Seat position 1
would deal to begin the round. The deal for subsequent rounds
would proceed clockwise around the table.

ROUND 1: Preliminary red card play saw Mikaela receive two
additional ships and a 2-point minefield, David got an additional
ship and a 1-point minefield, Jim and Bill each got an additional
ship and Mike Dwyer got a 2-point minefield. Mikaela, in seat
#1, led off sinking a 4-point ship. Salvos are scattered as no
one wants to create kill opportunities for the others. Eventually
David scores big, sinking Bismarck (8 points). Michael plays
a destroyer squadron, but it is quickly sunk. Jim has been collecting
additional ships, forming a nine-ship fleet. Mikaela's plea for
mercy sees David attack and eliminate Michael. At the end of
the round, David gets the second destroyer through and eliminates
Bill, netting six ships for 30 points. SCORES: David 50, Jim
17, Mike 14, Mikaela 7, Bill 5, Michael (-7).

ROUND 2: In preliminary red card play, Jim's sub sinks Musashi
for 9 points. Early play sees Jim and Michael add ships on consecutive
turns, with the leader David quickly eliminated. In second place,
Jim's fleet of low value ships takes light damage, but runs into
two one-point minefields. Jim places smoke in defense. An airstrike
by Michael sinks the BIismarck (8 points). Bill puts an additional
2-point minefield on Jim, eliminating his fleet for 26 points.
Bill's next play is a destroyer squadron. Fire at the destroyers
causes three points of damage, but Michael gets an additional
ship and cannot fire to sink it. The destroyer roll for Bill
is a 1 sinking Yamato for 9 points. Bill's fleet takes additional
hits and with five cards to play he deploys the second destroyer
card. Before he can use the destroyers, his last two ships are
sunk and the round ends. Even with elimination, David maintains
his lead, and Bill scores big. SCORES: David 40, Bill 35, Mike
35, Mikaela 28, Michael 27, Jim 22.

ROUND 3: Preliminary red card play sees Mike add a second
carrier and Bill adds a battleship. Jim starts with a fleet of
five (15 inch) battleships. Mike leads with two ineffective airstrikes.
Jim sinks a pocket battleship (game snack) for three points.
As the leader, David is again under attack to limit his score.
Mike again takes two airstrikes, sinking the New Jersey (7 points).
Now his airstrike option makes him a target. Jim adds a 14 inch
battleship to his fleet. Michael. deploys the first destroyer
card. Mike uses two airstrikes again, sinking Bismarck (8 points).
Michael. targets Mikaela with the destroyers sinking four ships
for 22 points. Mikaela only has a carrier left, her airstrike
fails. Mike again makes two airstrikes but rolls boxcars. Mikaela
loses her carrier and is eliminated. Mike has been reduced to
a carrier, which sinks a 6-point ship before being sunk. Jim
plays the second destroyer squadron. Only David has no smoke
to deploy. Jim takes out David gaining 9 points. Jim, Michael
and Bill are now left to fight it out. Bill's receives a 1-point
minefield. Bill gets a sub and sinks Littorio for 6 points. Bill
saves the damaged Maryland twice with repairs and then sweeps
the mines away. Jim gets the Conte di Cavour (12.6 inch, 4 points)
for his fleet, but Bill promptly sinks it. A salvo from Mike
ends Maryland's charmed life. The round ends with three additional
ships in a row. SCORES: Bill 70, Michael 61, Jim 48, Mike 46,
David 38, Mikaela 32.

ROUND 4: Opening red card play gives minefields to Michael
(2 points), and Jim and Bill (1 point each). Bill's torpedo boat
sinks Musashi (9 points) and Mikaela's sub sinks Washington (6
points). Bill now has enough points to win. David, Bill and Mike
each start with a carrier. Bill's first two plays are airstrikes
by Ark Royal against Mikaela's Tirpitz, both miss. Mike also
makes two consecutive airstrikes against Bill to no avail. Leader
Bill takes losses but continues using his airstrike and finally
sinks Tirpitz (8 points) on the third try. Seeing the win in
Bill's grasp, the other players combine to eliminate him. The
question now is, can anyone outscore him? David now has an eight-ship
fleet. Michael plays smoke. Jim has 3 points of mines on his
fleet which is slowly being eliminated. A torpedo boat for Mike
misses. Michael plays smoke again. Jim, reduced to the battleship
New Jersey, sweeps his mines away. Michael plays smoke for a
third time and the table agrees, as the second place player,
he must go which happens quickly. Jim, third at the start of
the round, is the next target. Jim makes repairs to his only
ship, but does not last long with Mikaela finishing him off.
David draws another carrier and next turn uses his two airstrikes
to sink Littorio for 6 points. His next pair of airstrikes nets
a 5-point ship. Mike now plays the first destroyer squadron.
David plays smoke, and the undefended Mikaela is eliminated (four
ships for 19 points). Only David and Mike are left. Mike draws
and deploys the second destroyer squadron. David's air strikes
take out another 5-point ship. The destroyer attack on David
nets Mike the three screening battleships (19 points). David
only has two carriers left. He makes four consecutive airstrikes
but only manages to sink one battleship for 5 points. Mike sinks
one of the carriers. With two successful destroyer squadrons
deployed this round, Mike who got in the Final on the GM's poor
combat decision, scores 58 points for the round and outpoints
Bill for the championship. FINAL SCORES: Mike 104, Bill 77, David
73, Mikaela 66, Mike 57, Jim 54.

Naval War GM Jim Kramer tries to make
sailors out of the junior woodchucks.

Andrew has got a target lined up and
he's itching to blast it out of the water.

Naval War Junior

For the second year in a row James Kramer has tried to light
a naval war fire under the WBC Juniors with a tepid response.
Only 11 pint-sized admirals answered the call on Friday afternoon
- again making it the smallest WBC Juniors event so we will be
looking for more suitable fare for the kids next year. Maybe
something wih rubber duckies ...

That shouldn't take anything away from 7-year old Andrew Freeman
who proved to be the best shooter on the waves this year. He
was followed in order by: